Luk 12:4 “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who are killing the body, and after that have nothing more they can do.
Luk 12:5 But I will warn you whom you should fear: Fear the one who, after the killing, has authority to throw you into Gehenna. Yes, I tell you, fear him!

whom you should fear

This bit of advice comes just after a warning against the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. They were a powerful and influential religious and political entity within Jesus’ society, and they had set their hearts on the goal of killing Jesus. The Lord knew they would get what they wanted: he would go to the cross, dying because of their hatred of him, and all those who followed him would be in danger of the same fate.

Yet, in spite of their obvious danger to him and those who followed him, Jesus taught all of us not to be afraid of people like that. Their anger could end us, but not forever. God’s anger — on the other hand — could result in eternal destruction in Gehenna.

LORD, in spite of the danger all around us, we choose to fear you, and respect your will above the will of the powerful ones who threaten us.